games for the club against Melbourne and New Zealand and followed that up with four tries to help the Toyota Cup (Under-20s) team to their first victory of the season with a 22 points to 16 victory over South Sydney. He played in the next five matches scoring one more try and kicking two goals from four attempts. 2010 (Debut season) After Albert Kelly's poor form and a knee injury to Nathan Stapleton, Gardner became the club's second debutant of the season after he played in his first first-grade match in round 10 against the Penrith Panthers at Toyota Stadium on 16 May. Despite eventually losing the game 34 points to 14, Gardner scored a try to help level the scores at 6-all after being set up by Tim Smith. Gardner credited Kade Snowden with getting him physically prepared for first-grade football and Trent Barrett and Paul Gallen for mentally preparing him. In the following game against his former club, the Parramatta Eels, Gardner kicked all three of his attempted conversions in a 22 points to 18 victory. In round 13, Gardner inspired the club to a 42 points to 18 upset win against the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium. He kicked a total of 7 goals from 9 attempts and although it was his error that led to a try for Shaun Kenny-Dowall just after the interval, he atoned for the error just under eight minutes later when he scored what many were already tipping as one of the tries of the season. After catching a Braith Anasta bomb just under ten metres out from his own try line, Gardner sidestepped an oncoming player and then sprinted down the left-hand sideline before running across field to score in the corner of the opposite side of the field. Gardner was awarded the man of the match for his performance after notching an 18 point tally. Despite his impressive performance against the Roosters, coach Ricky Stuart suggested that he was planning on giving Gardner a break from first-grade football at some stage during the season. Gardner kept up his impressive form after scoring a try and kicking 1 goal from 3 attempts in the 20 points to 19 victory over the North Queensland Cowboys in round 16. He also scored a try in round 19 in the 48 points to 18 loss against the Manly Sea Eagles and followed